Colonialism When I consider colonialism and it’s literary impacts and contexts, I think in terms of land geographies. I think in terms of the longitudes and the latitudes, the conquerors and the conquered. In terms of the 19th Century, I also consider what is occurring historical, the effects of the Napoleonic War, the industry of Slave trade, and the perceptions of the East. When one considers empires and colonies, we often think of the acquisition of land and raw materials, the oppression and subjugation of the natives, and the identification of the “other.” There is an arrogance to the colonizer, the self-perception that they are claiming something to make it better, that they are just what this country needs. On occasion, we consider it a positive exchange, in terms of customs, art, languages and song, but for the most part, it is seen as a dirty business. One of the new twists that we’ve put on some of the colonialist themes this summer was reading Mansfield Park as an immigration narrative. Though I’ve often considered colonialism in terms of the Slave Trade references in this novel, I never thought to give it a more Marxist slant. To think about Fanny as an immigrant both in terms of the geography, but also in class was eye-opening. It to me, explained Mrs. Norris’ treatment of her somewhat, because Norris is also an immigrant. What I read in both of their characters was an insecurity in their positions, due to their immigrant status, and that they were on unstable footing. They could both slide back down if things did not stabilize. Mrs. Norris takes on the role of permanent immigrant and looks down on Fanny due to her less stable status. Norris resents Fanny more migrating. Another unexpected twist on the colonialism theme, was in the consideration of Christina Rosetti’s poetry as expressing a “heavenly” colonization. I saw this specifically in the poem, “Paradise: In a Dream.” If one thinks of our contemplations of heaven and “other” unseen lands, we can often think of the as a paradise. That we think of the fantasy as a possible reality. She talks of heaven as an exotic place with flowers and songs “so full of grace/ I soared like incense to the skies” (lns 11-12). She is seeing a river “with golden sand” that “hath refreshment for all thirst/For fainting spirits strength and rest” (Lns 18 & 21-22). She continues to discuss the fruits of heaven and how “the hungry world can feed” (ln 31), and in this way seems to be describing heaven by what it offers the immigrant. This is even more telling in her closing stanza when she writes, “To see them with my very sight;/ And touch and handle and attain/To have all Heaven beneath my feet/For narrow way that once they trod;/ To have my part with all the saints/ And with my God” (Lns 43-49). She is using the terms of colonialism “touching” and “handling” and “attaining.” These are terms of acquisition. Is she colonizing heaven? It is a foreign space with raw materials she covets. It is a place she wants to inhabit, be among the angels and eat the fruit.
When I consider colonialism and it’s literary impacts and contexts, I think in terms of land geographies. I think in terms of the longitudes and the latitudes, the conquerors and the conquered. In terms of the 19th Century, I also consider what is occurring historical, the effects of the Napoleonic War, the industry of Slave trade, and the perceptions of the East. When one considers empires and colonies, we often think of the acquisition of land and raw materials, the oppression and subjugation of the natives, and the identification of the “other.” There is an arrogance to the colonizer, the self-perception that they are claiming something to make it better, that they are just what this country needs. On occasion, we consider it a positive exchange, in terms of customs, art, languages and song, but for the most part, it is seen as a dirty business.
One of the new twists that we’ve put on some of the colonialist themes this summer was reading Mansfield Park as an immigration narrative. Though I’ve often considered colonialism in terms of the Slave Trade references in this novel, I never thought to give it a more Marxist slant. To think about Fanny as an immigrant both in terms of the geography, but also in class was eye-opening. It to me, explained Mrs. Norris’ treatment of her somewhat, because Norris is also an immigrant. What I read in both of their characters was an insecurity in their positions, due to their immigrant status, and that they were on unstable footing. They could both slide back down if things did not stabilize. Mrs. Norris takes on the role of permanent immigrant and looks down on Fanny due to her less stable status. Norris resents Fanny more migrating.
Another unexpected twist on the colonialism theme, was in the consideration of Christina Rosetti’s poetry as expressing a “heavenly” colonization. I saw this specifically in the poem, “Paradise: In a Dream.” If one thinks of our contemplations of heaven and “other” unseen lands, we can often think of the as a paradise. That we think of the fantasy as a possible reality. She talks of heaven as an exotic place with flowers and songs “so full of grace/ I soared like incense to the skies” (lns 11-12). She is seeing a river “with golden sand” that “hath refreshment for all thirst/For fainting spirits strength and rest” (Lns 18 & 21-22). She continues to discuss the fruits of heaven and how “the hungry world can feed” (ln 31), and in this way seems to be describing heaven by what it offers the immigrant. This is even more telling in her closing stanza when she writes, “To see them with my very sight;/ And touch and handle and attain/To have all Heaven beneath my feet/For narrow way that once they trod;/ To have my part with all the saints/ And with my God” (Lns 43-49). She is using the terms of colonialism “touching” and “handling” and “attaining.” These are terms of acquisition. Is she colonizing heaven? It is a foreign space with raw materials she covets. It is a place she wants to inhabit, be among the angels and eat the fruit.